Acupuncture for postprandial distress syndrome: a randomized controlled pilot trial

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Integrative Medicine
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Limited evidence exists for acupuncture in treating postprandial distress syndrome (PDS).
• PDS significantly impacts quality of life and digestive health.
• Novel therapeutic approaches are needed for PDS management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of verum acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for PDS.
• To evaluate treatment response rates and symptom severity.
• To establish a foundation for larger clinical trials.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial comparing verum and sham acupuncture.
• 42 patients with PDS received 12 sessions over 4 weeks.
• Primary outcome: overall treatment effect response rate; Secondary outcomes: symptom severity and adverse events.

Main Results:

• High completion rates (91.5%) in both groups indicate feasibility.
• Verum acupuncture showed a higher response rate (61.9%) versus sham (33.3%).
• Significant reduction in dyspepsia symptom severity observed with verum acupuncture (p=0.04).

Conclusions:

• Four weeks of verum acupuncture appears feasible and potentially effective for PDS.
• The study protocol and outcome measures are suitable for future trials.
• Larger, powered studies are required to confirm acupuncture's efficacy for PDS.